‘Bot’ Meaning | Esports Terms Explained

Bot is a term used in esports that refers to a computer-controlled character. Bots can be found in various esports games and genres, and can serve different purposes, such as to fill in for missing players, to provide practice or training, or to create challenges or scenarios. Bots can also have different levels of difficulty, intelligence, and behavior, depending on the game and the settings.

How Do Bots Work in Esports?

Bots can work differently in different esports games and genres, but generally, there are three types of bots: player bots, enemy bots, and neutral bots.

• Player bots are bots that act as teammates or allies for the human players. Player bots can be used to replace human players who leave, disconnect, or are unavailable for a match. Player bots can also be used to create custom matches or modes, where the human players can choose the number and the difficulty of the player bots. Player bots can follow the commands or the strategies of the human players, or act independently based on the game’s rules and objectives.
• Enemy bots are bots that act as opponents or enemies for the human players. Enemy bots can be used to provide practice or training for the human players, who can learn the game’s mechanics, characters, maps, and tactics by playing against the enemy bots. Enemy bots can also be used to create challenges or scenarios, where the human players can test their skills, abilities, or strategies by playing against the enemy bots. Enemy bots can have different levels of difficulty, intelligence, and behavior, ranging from easy to hard, from dumb to smart, and from passive to aggressive.
• Neutral bots are bots that act as neither allies nor enemies for the human players. Neutral bots can be used to add variety or complexity to the game’s environment, where the human players can interact with them in different ways. Neutral bots can include creatures, monsters, animals, or objects, that can be killed, captured, collected, or used by the human players. Neutral bots can also have different effects or rewards, such as granting gold, experience, items, or buffs, to the human players who interact with them.

Examples of Bots in Esports

Bots are a common feature in many esports games, especially in the MOBA and FPS genres. Here are some examples of bots in popular esports titles:

• In League of Legends, a popular MOBA game, bots can be found in several game modes, such as Co-op vs. AI, Custom, and Practice Tool. Co-op vs. AI is a mode where the human players can team up with or against player bots, who can have different difficulty levels, such as Intro, Beginner, or Intermediate. Custom is a mode where the human players can create their own matches or modes, and choose the number and the difficulty of the player bots and the enemy bots. Practice Tool is a mode where the human players can practice or train their skills, abilities, or strategies, and add enemy bots or neutral bots to the map.
• In Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, a popular FPS game, bots can be found in several game modes, such as Offline with Bots, Deathmatch, and Arms Race. Offline with Bots is a mode where the human players can play solo or with friends against enemy bots, who can have different difficulty levels, such as Easy, Normal, Hard, or Expert. Deathmatch and Arms Race are modes where the human players can play online or offline against enemy bots or player bots, who can have different behavior settings, such as Free For All, Team Deathmatch, or Team Arms Race.
• In Overwatch, a popular FPS game, bots can be found in several game modes, such as Play vs. AI, Custom, and Workshop. Play vs. AI is a mode where the human players can team up with player bots against enemy bots, who can have different difficulty levels, such as Easy, Medium, or Hard. Custom is a mode where the human players can create their own matches or modes, and choose the number and the difficulty of the player bots and the enemy bots. Workshop is a mode where the human players can create their own scripts or codes, and add bots with custom behaviors, abilities, or effects.